South London trust to appeal tribunal verdict

WORKFORCE: Croydon Health Services Trust has been given permission to appeal the findings of an employment tribunal, HSJ understands.

The tribunal last year found in favour of Kevin Beatt, a consultant who was sacked by the trust after raising concerns about the safety of equipment at the hospital.

Dr Beatt was dismissed by Croydon Health Services Trust in 2012

The tribunal found that Dr Beatt, a cardiologist at the trust for seven years until 2012, was unfairly dismissed because he raised concerns over the safety of radiation equipment in his department.

The Royal College of Physicians conducted a review of the cardiology department and found some problems that could affect patient care, according to the tribunal judgment.

Dr Beatt was accused by the trust of “fabricating the true state of affairs in an attempt to justify the removal of patients from the trust so he could treat them elsewhere”, the judgment said.

Dr Beatt told HSJ the trust had “misrepresented the facts”. He now works in private practice.

The tribunal in October ruled Dr Beatt was unfairly dismissed for raising safety concerns, and at a hearing in January a judge dismissed an appeal by the trust on the grounds that it had no reasonable prospect of success.

However, a trust spokesman told HSJ that this was a paper only review and neither party had legal representation. The upcoming hearing is a continuation of the first notice of appeal, rather than a second appeal. A date has not been set for the hearing.

The spokesman added: “We are pursuing the appeal. We cannot comment further at this stage due to ongoing legal proceedings.”

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